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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880099">In the Morning, You're Still Gone</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avengers_Whore/pseuds/Avengers_Whore'>Avengers_Whore</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Surviving Without You (With Them) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Alpha/Omega, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Tony Stark, Bonding, Character Death, Howard Stark's Good Parenting, Like for real this time, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Memories, Mpreg, Parent James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Parent Tony Stark, Pregnancy, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Tony Stark, alpha howard stark, im sorry, scavengers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:55:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,820</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avengers_Whore/pseuds/Avengers_Whore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In the back of the cave, there were the remnants of a time lived long ago. Little drawings on the wall in chalk that had somehow survived the tests of time for the last few years. Three stick figures holding hands was the easiest to see and he smiled softly as he looked at the drawing.</p><p>For a moment he caught the smell of brown sugar and chocolate but it disappeared as fast as it came - a phantom scent straight out of his memories. He sat down on the cold ground and sobbed into his hands, suddenly overwhelmed. Memories came flooding in and he couldn’t help getting lost in them.</p><p>-------------</p><p>THIS IS BASICALLY A PREQUEL TO LEAVE US ALONE (HELP ME PLEASE). However there are some aspects that come from the other story and it would be to your benefit to read that one first before this one!!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Surviving Without You (With Them) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813774</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>335</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In the Morning, You're Still Gone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony hummed softly as he packed the basket full of food and a blanket. Peter and Harley were handing him things when he asked for them but for the most part they sat off to the side and watched him patiently. The trio were planning a little trip, just the three of them without Steve, Bucky, or Morgan.</p><p>The omega finished backing the basket just as his mates stepped into their tent with Morgan in the blond alpha’s arms. The pup was babbling and tugging on her papa’s overgrown stubble. Both alpha’s smiled at the trio.</p><p>“All packed?” Steve asked as he settled Morgan in the nest and draped a blanket over her. The little girl squealed excitedly and squirmed under the blanket with a giggle.</p><p>“Yeah, I just finished. We’re ready to head out,” Tony told him, accepting the man’s kiss when it was offered. Bucky hummed quietly and leaned down to kiss the omega as well.</p><p>“You sure you don’t want one of us to go with you?” Bucky asked worriedly.</p><p>“I’m sure. I love you, I love both of you but...this is just for us,” the smaller brunet said, almost apologetically. He moved over to the nest and pulled the blanket off of his youngest baby. The little girl babbled excitedly when she saw her mommy and reached up to him. “Pretty Morguna.”</p><p>Peter and Harley came over as well and scented over their little sister happily.</p><p>“We’ll be back soon, Morgan,” Peter purred, his smile widening when the pup babbled at him as if having a conversation.</p><p>“You should get goin’,” Steve said with a smile. “This l’il miss will be no problem for us.”</p><p>“So you say. Alright, boys, let’s go,” Tony said, standing up and grabbing the basket. The twins pulled their boots on and eagerly followed their mother out of the tent. Others waved to the trio as they made their way out of camp and through the woods.</p><p>It was the tail end of summer and they’d celebrated the boys’ birthday just the week before. And now they were heading up to the cave the boys had been born in, the cave Clint, Bucky, and Sam had found them in almost 4 years ago. It wasn’t that far really, but the trip was up the mountain and they had to weave through the trees and overgrowth.</p><p>The first year after joining the pack, Tony had made this trip alone while Clint had watched the boys. They had still been too young to make that trip again safely and the omega hadn’t wanted to risk his pups like that ever again. The next two years he hadn’t been able to make the trip due to his heat and then his pregnancy with Morgan.</p><p>Now the pups were 8 years old and he wasn’t pregnant and they were heading up to see the cave - and the grave. That was the real reason for the trip.</p><p>Tony wiped at one of his eyes and silently cursed himself for already crying. They still had another mile uphill before they’d arrive, he shouldn’t be crying before they even got there. He felt a tug on both of his hands and he looked down, smiling at his boys.</p><p>“I’m okay. Come on, we’re almost there,” the older omega purred, squeezing his pups’ hands and continuing their uphill trek. By high noon, they’d arrived at the cave and Tony handed the basket over to Peter at the younger omega’s insistence. The boy was eager to set the blanket on the ground and set out their little picnic.</p><p>Harley settled down to help his little brother and Tony watched for a few moments before leaving them to it. He walked over to the mouth of the cave and pushed through the overgrown lichen. The cave was long empty judging by the stale scents of a small group having passed through.</p><p>In the back of the cave, there were the remnants of a time lived long ago. Little drawings on the wall in chalk that had somehow survived the tests of time for the last few years. Three stick figures holding hands was the easiest to see and he smiled softly as he looked at the drawing.</p><p>For a moment he caught the smell of brown sugar and chocolate but it disappeared as fast as it came - a phantom scent straight out of his memories. He sat down on the cold ground and sobbed into his hands, suddenly overwhelmed. Memories came flooding in and he couldn’t help getting lost in them.</p><p>Not for the first time.</p><p>-</p><p>The sun was already halfway up the sky and the town was already bustling when Tony finally roused himself from his nest and decided to face the day. His bed was warm and comfy and filled to the brim with soft blankets and pillows to satisfy his need to nest. It was hard to find such luxuries these days but they weren’t impossible to make - their pack was filled with master craftsmen of all kinds.</p><p>He and his father were engineers and supplied their little town with working electricity for heating and lights. They were one of the few packs who had access to such things and that made them a target for scavengers. None had yet to succeed in a takeover though so his father remained alpha of their renaissance pack.</p><p>“Anthony!” Howard called up the stairs and Tony snapped out of his daze. He got dressed quickly and then ran from his room. His father was waiting at the foot of the stairs, arms crossed over his chest. The omega smiled innocently at the man and the alpha was automatically melting with a roll of his eyes.</p><p>“You were up late in the shop weren’t you? You need more sleep,” Howard scolded lightly as he led the way out of their house. The sun was shining brightly outside and the wind was brisk, blowing through and pulling colored leaves off the trees with it. It was late autumn and that meant-</p><p>“The hunters are returning today and you almost slept through it,” his father said as they continued to walk. And as if on queue, the whole town was filled with loud, excited chatter. Every summer, alphas and betas volunteered to go on a large hunting trip in preparation for the winter. They left at the beginning of the summer and returned towards the end of autumn.</p><p>Always loaded down with crops and smoked meat.</p><p>A long line of wagons were filing into the town and all of the pups were at the front of the crowd, eager to see their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts. Tony’s eyes scanned the line, completely tuning Howard’s words out as he searched for one alpha in particular and-</p><p>There!</p><p>The omega broke into a sprint which startled his father. He pushed through the small crowd, uncaring for the indignant cries. He had tunnel vision and it was focused on his best friend.</p><p>“Rhodey!”</p><p>“Tones!” Rhodey called, a wide grin on his face as he hurried forward and caught the younger in his arms. He spun the brunet around as soon as he caught him, both of them laughing brightly. “I missed you, Tony.”</p><p>“Missed you more, honeybear,” Tony purred, butting their foreheads together happily.</p><p>“Welcome home, Jim,” Howard greeted as he finally made his way through the crowd towards them. He clapped the younger alpha on the back. “Find it?”</p><p>This was a routine question every year for the last few years. Tony still had no idea exactly what <em>it</em> was but he figured Rhodey would tell him if it were important. He pressed his face into the older man’s collarbone.</p><p>“I did.”</p><p>Oh. That was new. Usually the answer was no.</p><p>“Do I still have your permission, sir?” Rhodey asked now, which prompted more confusion on Tony’s part.</p><p>“You do,” Howard answered.</p><p>“Permission for what? What’d you find?” Tony asked with wide, brown eyes. He looked up at the alpha and his brow furrowed when he saw the nerves on his best friend’s face. “Jim?”</p><p>“Anthony Stark,” Rhodey started, laughing softly when the omega’s nose crinkled at the use of his full name. “These last few years, I’ve been on the hunt for something. Something that would prove to your father that I’m worthy of you, that I will treasure you like you deserve.”</p><p>“Wh-What?”</p><p>“And this time, I finally found one,” the alpha continued. He got down on one knee and pulled out-</p><p>A ring.</p><p>“Will you be my omega?”</p><p>Tony stared down at the alpha, at his best friend down on one knee asking to be his mate. His mouth was agape and his eyes were wide. He never expected this - he loved the older man with his whole being but to have his feelings reciprocated and then <em>proposed</em> to!</p><p>“Mmhm,” the omega whimpered out, nodding his head vigorously when his voice failed to make anymore noises. He threw himself into his best friend’s arms and cried into his neck.</p><p>More cheers erupted around them, not only celebrating the hunters’ returns but now the engagement of their alpha’s only son. Rhodey stood up with the small brunet in his arms, nuzzling the side of his head.</p><p>“Tonight, we feast! In celebration of autumn’s end and my son’s new beginning!” Howard called over the cheers, a smile on his face.</p><p>-</p><p>Tony purred softly as he felt lips against his neck, drawing him out of a nice dream. He stretched and turned his head to accept a kiss from his alpha. They’d just spent the last week cooped up in their nest handling Tony’s heat. Now that it had broken, the omega was pleasantly sore and sated.</p><p>“That was intense,” Rhodey rumbled, rubbing his mate’s hip as he maneuvered over the smaller man. He pressed his body down on top of the omega’s and nipped at his ear.</p><p>“I think you mean <em>fantastic</em>,” Tony said with a grin on his face, wrapping his arms around Rhodey’s neck and laughing. He trilled happily and rolled them over so he was laying on top of his alpha. He leaned down and kissed him soundly, pouring all of his love and fondness into that one kiss.</p><p>He pulled back and laid his head down on Rhodey’s shoulder, tracing his long, tanned fingers over his mate’s dark, bare chest. The older man’s chest started to vibrate as he rumbled, both of them content in the other’s presence. From friends to mates, neither of them could be happier than they were in that moment.</p><p>“We have to face the day eventually,” Rhodey murmured, pressing his lips to the top of his omega’s head.</p><p>“I’d rather we go for another round,” Tony trilled teasingly, moving his hand from the alpha’s chest down to his hip.</p><p>“Tones, we’ve been having sex for literal days, let’s go outside.”</p><p>The younger man whined softly but eventually conceded. He moved off of his best friend and let him get up, openly ogling him as the man went over to the closet to start pulling clothes out for both of them.</p><p>“Up, omega, let’s go,” Rhodey rumbled, smirking as he watched the brunet literally roll out of their nest. He walked over and wrapped his arms around his alpha with a flirty smile on.</p><p>“Mmm, love when you give me orders, alpha,” Tony purred. He pressed their bodies together in a final attempt to seduce his mate back into bed - until the elder started tickling his sides. The brunet yelped and jumped out of the other man’s embrace. “Rude!”</p><p>“Get dressed, Tones,” the alpha said with a fond shake of his head. He pulled on his own clothes before disappearing into the bathroom. When he came out a few moments later, he followed his mate’s spicy scent down to the kitchen where he was boiling the water for coffee. “You might have to give up your addiction.”</p><p>“Utter blasphemy, sourpatch, you know what I’m like without it.”</p><p>“A total zombie, I know, but caffeine is bad for pups.”</p><p>Tony sighed softly and nodded his head, a hand unconsciously landing on his lower abdomen. When he was a pup, he’d dreamed of getting mated and having pups of his own. He’d thought up names for his imaginary children and what kind of mom he’d be like. He liked to think he’d be a lot like his own mama before she passed.</p><p>He sighed softly when arms wrapped around him from behind, pulling him from his thoughts. He turned his head and smiled at his alpha. He pressed a kiss to the taller man’s jaw and leaned back against the firm chest.</p><p>“You’ll look so beautiful filled with my pups,” Rhodey murmured in his ear.</p><p>“Jim!” Tony gasped, laughing at how scandalous his best friend sounded. “I never expected that from you!”</p><p>“You bring out a whole new side to me, Tones,” the alpha chuckled, kissing his cheek. “Come on, let’s go have breakfast with your dad.”</p><p>“Yeah, okay,” the omega said, turning off the stove and following his mate out of the house. They walked down the street towards Tony’s childhood home, greeting people as they walked by. Many of them congratulated them on their official mating.</p><p>Tony opened the front door and stepped inside without knocking. He found his dad in the kitchen nursing a cup of fresh coffee. The old alpha looked over and smiled at the pair.</p><p>“Look who’s finally left the nest. All official?” Howard asked teasingly.</p><p>“Ring, bite, and all,” the younger purred, making grabby hands for the coffee and grinning when it was handed over.</p><p>“You know you’ll have to-”</p><p>“I <em>know</em> but I’m not pregnant yet so let me drink in peace.”</p><p>Both alphas gave long-suffering sighs but let the omega drink his caffeine without anymore protests. The pair got to work putting breakfast together and letting Tony rest after the long week of non-stop cramps, need, and lack of proper nutrition.</p><p>-</p><p>It was a week and a half later when their little town went to hell. Tony and Rhodey were asleep in their nest, curled around each other in the dead of night. The whole town was silent and asleep except for a few alphas and betas patrolling the perimeter. As it was every night.</p><p>Except that night.</p><p>Both of them were startled awake by an explosion, eyes wide as they looked around in a panic. Rhodey was out of the nest and pulling on clothes instantly, throwing some at his mate. He glanced out of the window and cursed when he saw strangers swarming the streets.</p><p>“Fuck, it’s a raid,” the alpha swore. He went for his gun safe on the dresser and punched in the code real quick. “Backpacks, grab the necessities. Ammo, your gun, water, first-aid.”</p><p>“Got it,” Tony said as he finished dressing. He grabbed their bags from the closet and started throwing stuff inside. He left their bedroom and hurried downstairs to the kitchen to grab the canteen he kept in a cupboard. Another explosion sounded outside, shaking the ground under his feet.</p><p>Rhodey finished loading his gun and hurried after his mate. Tony was pulling on his boots and jacket, tossing his mate’s boots over to him. The alpha pulled them on and hauled Tony up off of the ground.</p><p>“Come on, we need to get my dad.”</p><p>“Right,” the alpha murmured. He took the safety off of his gun and unlocked the door. “Right on my heels, Tones.”</p><p>Tony nodded and the two of them ran from the house, booking it down the street amidst the chaos. Buildings were on fire, some had even begun to collapse from the explosions. People were running through the streets, either being chased or chasing others. The whole place was just total chaos.</p><p>They made it to the end of the street and found the door to his father’s house busted open. The omega panicked and ran right in, ignoring his alpha’s warning calls. He ran up the stairs.</p><p>“Dad? Dad!” Tony called, looking around. He ran right into his father’s bedroom and cried out when he saw the blood. Arms wrapped around him and turned him away from the sight of his father, clearly dead judging by the bullet hole in his head.</p><p>“We need to get out of here,” the alpha murmured, holding his mate close. The omega’s shoulders were shaking with his sobs, clinging to Rhodey’s shirt.</p><p>“My- My dad’s guns,” Tony gasped out, pulling away from the older man and heading over to the closet. He pulled out a long case and opened it up, pulling out a rifle. He loaded the clip and slung it over his shoulder. Then he grabbed the pistol that also resided in the big case.</p><p>“Let’s go, Tones.”</p><p>Tony nodded and followed his mate out of the back door. They booked it away from the town and into the nearby woods, leaving their little town behind.</p><p>-</p><p>Rhodey sighed softly as he added another few pieces of wood to the fire. Across from him, Tony sat staring into the flames. He hadn’t spoken a word since they left their pack the night before. He didn’t know if his mate was deep in thought or in shock from finding Howard dead.</p><p>Probably a mix of both.</p><p>He ran a hand down his face and sighed again. He needed to think - they were all on their own now, just the two of them. Neither of them had been without their pack before and while they knew how to survive, it was different.</p><p>They wouldn’t stand much of a chance if they ran into another group of scavengers.</p><p>He jolted out of his own thoughts when he felt Tony sidle up to his side, leaning into the warmth of his body. The alpha wrapped an arm around his mate and breathed in his spicy scent. He always smelled so strongly of cinnamon.</p><p>“Holding up?” Rhodey asked quietly.</p><p>“Managing. Trying to figure out how our life got fucked up so fast,” Tony murmured, turning his face into his mate’s neck and breathing him in. “Goddamn bandits.”</p><p>“We’ll be okay. We’re strong,” the older man told him.</p><p>The omega nodded his head mutely and closed his eyes, yawning. Rhodey smiled slightly and kissed his temple. He let the younger man sleep through the night, only dozing himself. In the morning they started moving again.</p><p>A month later they were looking through the remains of what once was a store. They’d reached the outskirts of the city the night before and were now moving through, searching for supplies as they went. Luckily no pack had set up camp in the area so they didn’t have to worry about trespassing.</p><p>As Rhodey dug through a bin, his hand came into contact with something unbelievably soft. He pulled it out and saw it was a light blue blanket. He brought it close to his chest and rubbed his fingers against the fabric, smiling softly. He turned his head to look over his shoulder at his mate who was sorting through some cans.</p><p>“Hey Tones.”</p><p>“Yeah? What’s up honey?” Tony asked, looking up from the cans. His brow furrowed when he saw the blanket in his alpha’s hands. “A blanket?”</p><p>“Come feel it.”</p><p>The omega sighed and walked over, taking the blanket into his hands and pausing when he felt just how soft the fabric felt against his hands. He hugged it to his chest and rubbed it against his neck, purring happily.</p><p>“Well that kinda confirms it. I thought your scent was getting sweeter but the need for soft things? I think you’re pregnant,” Rhodey said, startling Tony. His eyes widened and he dropped a hand to his stomach.</p><p>“You think? Can we… have a pup out here? I always pictured we’d have the pack…”</p><p>“We’ll make it work. Let’s see if we can get some more blankets and we’ll find a permanent camp to build a nest.”</p><p>Tony couldn’t help but purr at the thought of building a nest for them. Now that he could possibly be pregnant, every part of him wanted to cling to his alpha and build a nest for them to bunk down in.</p><p>And maybe fuck. He was a little horny.</p><p>He absolutely refused to let go of the blanket while they searched for more of them, keeping it close and pressed into his neck to cover it in his scent. They found a few more and stuffed them into their bags before heading out again. The pair made their way out of the city and back into a stretch of woods.</p><p>It was another week of traveling - and the start of Tony’s morning sickness - before they stumbled upon the cave. They’d been moving up the mountain for the last few days and they’d been preparing to just go over the damn thing when they finally found the cave. The mouth was covered in a thin layer of lichen but it was empty and fairly hidden amongst all of the undergrowth.</p><p>They move inside and Rhodey sniffed around it, finding only the stale scent of earth and damp rock. Meanwhile Tony had already decided this was going to be where he set up his nest. He was laying out all of the blankets they’d collected and started arranging them into a circular structure.</p><p>“Come here and rub your scent on ‘em,” the omega ordered, pointing at the blankets firmly. The older man sighed softly and nodded his head, walking over and starting to rub each blanket against his neck. The only one he wasn’t allowed to touch was the softest one - Tony was determined to keep only his scent on it.</p><p>Once the nest was all put together, Tony crawled in and pulled his alpha into the structure. It wasn’t too comfy yet, they’d need more blankets for cushioning, but it worked for now. He cuddled close and purred happily.</p><p>“This is perfect,” he murmured.</p><p>“Well, not yet. It’ll be better with a fire and food,” Rhodey told him with a chuckle. He wrapped his arms around the younger brunet and kissed his cheek. “But I’m happy here with you.”</p><p>“I love you. I don’t think I’ve said it enough lately,” Tony said, looking at him.</p><p>“You never have to say it - I always know,” the alpha murmured before kissing him deeply. “I love you too, Tones.”</p><p>-</p><p>Tony panted softly as he leaned against the wall, one hand resting on his protruding abdomen and the other holding his pistol tightly. He’d just finished emptying half his clip into a small group of scavengers who’d tried to sneak up on him and Rhodey. His alpha was searching the surrounding area for any stragglers.</p><p>“Feeling okay?” Rhodey asked when he finally made his way back.</p><p>“Yeah, just...tired. Wasn’t expecting them at all,” the omega murmured, leaning against his mate. The alpha laid a gentle hand on his swollen stomach and kissed his cheek.</p><p>“Just a few more things and then we’ll head back.”</p><p>Tony nodded his head and holstered his gun before following after the older man. They found a few more supplies they were looking for and then they left the town, heading back to their little cave. The alpha supported his mate the whole way, sensing how tired the shorter brunet really was.</p><p>Rhodey laid down some of the new blankets into their nest and then nudged Tony inside with insistent pushes. The omega growled softly but let himself be herded inside, laying down and sighing at the familiar scent of their nest. He purred as he draped the first blanket over his body - it was saturated in his pregnant omega scent and he loved it.</p><p>“I’m gonna start on dinner, you get some sleep.”</p><p>“Yeah… okay, honeybear,” Tony mumbled, closing his eyes. He curled protectively around his growing pup and promptly fell asleep.</p><p>-</p><p>“What about Morgan? If we have a girl, I mean,” Rhodey suggested as he finished skinning their latest hunt - a huge ass elk.</p><p>“Morgan? Morgan… I like that,” Tony answered, smiling softly as he thought about it. He was sitting by the fire stirring the pot filled with stew, humming quietly. He breathed in the scent and purred as his stomach growled.</p><p>“Okay so Morgan for a girl. What about a boy?”</p><p>“I like Harley. Harley for a boy.”</p><p>Rhodey chuckled but didn’t say anything to argue it. He started carving the meat away from the carcass and passing it over for his mate to add to chop up and add to their dinner. The pair worked in silence until the alpha took the spare meat outside to start smoking it.</p><p>Tony started pouring the stew into the pair of bowls they’d managed to collect just as Rhodey came back through the curtain of lichen. He smiled and accepted the bowl as he sat down next to his mate, kissing his cheek.</p><p>“Thanks for dinner, Tones.”</p><p>“Hey, you’re the one that supplied the meat, I just cooked it,” the omega said with a smile, accepting the affection with ease. He happily started to east when his stomach rumbled again. They were silent throughout the rest of their dinner and as they cleaned up for the night. Tony was the first to crawl into the nest, shirtless for comfort now that his chest was so sensitive.</p><p>Rhodey crawled over him a few moments later, leaning down to press kisses to his face and neck. He rumbled happily as he trailed his lips down his omega’s neck and chest to his stomach, incredibly big at 7 and a half months.</p><p>“Hello, pup,” the alpha murmured, kissing the tanned skin. “Mommy and I can’t wait to meet you…”</p><p>“I love feelin’ this life inside me,” Tony admitted quietly as he watched his alpha talk to their pup. “Kinda want you to put another in me.”</p><p>“Yeah?” Rhodey asked, moving up to kiss the younger again. “I’ll give you as many pups as you want, pretty genius.”</p><p>The omega purred happily and closed his eyes, sated by his alpha’s affection.</p><p>-</p><p>Tony whimpered as another contraction tore through his body, the pain worse than anything he’d ever felt before. The contractions had started just before dawn and it was well passed dusk now. His water had broken but he wasn’t dilated - he cursed his body for deciding to take it’s time.</p><p>“J-Jim,” the omega whined, peeking out of the nest to watch his mate. The alpha was boiling water and preparing some clean rags for when it was finally time. He knew his mate would probably just stress out without a task to keep him him distracted from his distressed mate.</p><p>“Right here, Tones. You’re doin’ fine,” the alpha soothed, walking over and scenting over the omega to calm him down. “That pup is just stubborn. Must get it from you.”</p><p>“A-Asshole.”</p><p>“See, you’re fine,” Rhodey teased, pushing sweaty bangs back from his mate’s drenched forehead. “Lemme check you, see if you’re any closer.”</p><p>“Okay,” Tony breathed, whining again when another contraction hit. Rhodey moved to kneel between his legs, checking his opening to see how dilated he was.</p><p>“Almost there, Tones. Probably another hour before you start pushing.”</p><p>“Goddammit, this pup needs to move a little faster!”</p><p>The alpha pressed a gentle kiss to the inside of his mate’s knee before getting up again. He draped the omega’s pregnancy blanket over his upper body before heading back to the boiling water. Tony wrapped his arms around the blanket and breathed it in.</p><p>Another hour or so came and went with still no progress in dilation. Once the water was boiled enough, Rhodey came to hold his mate through the night. It was just before dawn that Tony finally - <em>finally</em> - felt an unbelievable pressure in his hips. Instinct told him to bear down and push.</p><p>So he did.</p><p>It was nearly an hour of pushing and listening to Rhodey’s encouragements before there was the sharp cry of a pup. Rhodey was down between his legs once more keeping an eye on the progress, there to gently guide the newborn out of their mother and into their father’s arms. The alpha wrapped the babe into a towel and carefully clipped the umbilical cord.</p><p>“Harley it is,” Jim said with a grin, gently bouncing the pup as he cried and cried. The boy’s skin was deeply tanned under all of the blood and other fluids, a mixture of his tan mother and dark-skinned father. He carefully washed the pup off before unraveling the towel and laying the naked boy onto his mother’s chest.</p><p>“Hi baby,” Tony whispered, bringing his hands up to rub over his pup. Harley was still crying and crying, blindly searching for a nipple to latch onto. The omega carefully guided him and smiled when the boy quieted as soon as he was suckling.</p><p>The new parents basked in their happiness for a moment or two before suddenly another contraction hit. He whimpered quietly, trying not to disturb his pup.</p><p>“R-Rhodey, something’s wrong!”</p><p>“Let me see, I’m sure it’s fine,” Rhodey murmured, moving back between his omega’s legs and carefully reaching his hand inside. He was quiet for a few seconds before this eyes widened. “There’s- We’re gonna need another name if this is a boy.”</p><p>Tony gaped at his alpha before another contraction hit him. When the pressure came back, he pushed again until there was another sharp wailing sounded a few minutes later. Rhodey repeated the process he’d done with Harley before finally laying the new pup next to his brother. Unlike Harley, this pup quieted upon skin contact with his mother.</p><p>“Another boy,” the omega murmured, guiding this new pup to start feeding as well. He gently rubbed both pups’ backs to keep them warm while they fed, rubbing his scent into their skin. “I named Harley, you should name this one.”</p><p>“Okay, how about…” the alpha trailed off thoughtfully, thinking for a moment. “Peter.”</p><p>“Harley and Peter… I like that,” Tony said, smiling at his pups. Peter was slightly paler than his brother and he already had a mop of curls that rivalled his mother’s. He was also smaller than Harley so the older pup probably took up most of the space in the womb.</p><p>Rhodey rumbled and laid down next to his mate and pups, scenting over both of the boys to get his own scent over them before settling down. The small family eventually fell asleep like that, cuddled up in the nest.</p><p>-</p><p>Both of the pups were sound asleep cuddled up to each other, wrapped up in Tony’s pregnancy blanket. The soft material probably felt like heaven against their own baby soft flesh and it kept them warm in the late summer coolness of the cave. The omega was watching over them, still too weak to move.</p><p>It had only been a few days since the twins were born and even if he wasn’t weak from 24-hour labor, every instinct screamed at him that he needed to stay in the nest with his pups. Rhodey was out of the nest loading his gun and making sure he had everything he needed. They’d run out of food the night before and he needed to go out for more supplies.</p><p>“Alright, I’m headed out. You got your gun?” Jim asked as he came over, kissing his mate’s cheek.</p><p>“Always. Be careful, honeybear,” Tony purred, nuzzling his alpha. “I love you. Come back to us.”</p><p>“You know I will. I’ll be back before sundown.”</p><p>The omega nodded and watched the older man leave through the thick curtain of lichen. He sighed softly and turned back to his babies, laying down and curling around them protectively. He felt bad about making Rhodey go alone but… he just couldn’t make it down and then back up their mountain.</p><p>His alpha was strong though. He’d come back to him, he could feel it in his bones. So with that reassurance in mind, he fell into a doze.</p><p>When he came back into full awareness, their little fire had turned to orange cinders and the cave was dark. There was no sunlight peeking through the lichen and that told him it was well into the night.</p><p>And Rhodey was nowhere to be found.</p><p>The pups were whimpering and squirming in their cocoon, helplessly begging for milk. Tony purred soothingly and laid flat on his back before pulling the pups out of the wrap and laying them on his bare chest. Almost immediately, both boys were suckling hungrily. Harley had opened his eyes earlier in the morning yesterday but Peter’s were still mostly closed.</p><p>Both of the pups fed for awhile before falling back asleep again. And Tony stayed in the nest through the night, waiting for his mate to come back. The sun was just starting to peek through the lichen when he heard rustling and stumbling outside of the cave. Carefully he maneuvered the boys off of his chest and he grabbed his gun.</p><p>Against his instincts, he left the nest and slowly approached the mouth of the cave with his gun at the ready. He pushed through the lichen and gasped when he saw his alpha practically crawling up the mountain towards him. He saw the blood and he cried out, running forward and helping Rhodey to his feet.</p><p>“Jim, oh my god,” the brunet gasped, helping him to the mouth of the cave. The alpha collapsed and brought the younger man down with him under his weight. “Jim, you gotta get up! Please, alpha!”</p><p>The wound in his abdomen was still dripping blood and the younger man pressed his hands against it to stop the flow. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he looked up at his mate’s face, the alpha breathing heavily with his eyes half-lidded. Dark brown eyes met Tony’s own.</p><p>“Stay with me, alpha. Harley and Peter need you, I need you,” Tony whimpered, sobbing.</p><p>“H-Hey,” Rhodey gasped out, wincing at the pain. “I love you.”</p><p>“I love you, too,” the omega cried, leaning down to kiss his mate. He breathed in his scent, tinged now with blood and distress but still familiar to him. “My Rhodeybear.”</p><p>“You- You fight, okay? Fi… Fight for them,” the alpha choked. “Fight to… to survive, Tony. You’re a Stark, remember it.”</p><p>The conviction in his mate’s voice had him nodding his head, pulling back to look him in the eyes. He could see the light fading and it hurt his heart more and more. His bondmark ached and stung something fierce.</p><p>“Find a… p-pack.”</p><p>“Shh, Rhodey, shh… enough now. Just rest,” Tony murmured, moving to sit by his mate’s head. He moved his alpha so he was resting in his lap, purring soothingly. They sat like that until the sun was high above the horizon and long after his mate had taken his last breath. He sat until he could hear his pups’ whimpers and whines inside of the cave and then he moved.</p><p>Feed the pups, bury his mate, and then find the fuckers who killed him.</p><p>-</p><p>After that, he’d hunted down the group of scavengers and sniped them down with his father’s rifle. It’d taken a few hours tops - the bastards hadn’t strayed far from the town they’d been looting. And every moment after that had been all about his pups.</p><p>He’d tried finding a pack to take him in but all he’d found was a rogue band of alphas and betas who’d chased him for a mile trying to rape him. He’d sworn off packs from that point on, up until Clint came pushing his way into his little cave. If not for the omega, or for the simple fact he’d nearly frozen to death over the winter, he never would’ve joined their pack.</p><p>Rhodey always said he was too stubborn for his own good.</p><p>“Mommy! Come on, the picnic is ready!” Peter exclaimed, drawing Tony out of his memories. He smiled and pulled a ring from his pocket, turning it over in his hands. He hadn’t worn it since Rhodey died but...something told him Steve and Bucky wouldn’t mind. With that, he slid the ring onto his finger and then left the cave to join his pups for their little picnic.</p><p>Both of the boys were sitting on the blanket and pulling food out of the blanket. There was already a plate ready for Tony and his smile widened as he sat down.</p><p>“You boys really know how to spoil your mommy,” he purred, kissing Peter’s forehead and then Harley’s. “Let’s eat.”</p><p>The trio ate together happily, finishing all of the food they’d packed in about an hour. Once that was done, Tony helped the boys clean everything up and pack it all back in their basket.</p><p>“I know you boys have no memory of your father so I won’t force you to see his grave with me if you don’t want to,” the omega murmured as he pulled both of his boys into a hug. “You can stay right here.”</p><p>“I- I wanna see,” Harley answered, his brow furrowing slightly.</p><p>“I’ll stay here,” Peter said, though he gave his twin a strange look. Tony nodded his head and led Harley down a path that was next to the cave. It was barely 50 feet before they reached a clearing with a large stone in the center.</p><p>The omega led the young alpha over to the stone and ran his hand over the carving. He’d spent hours upon hours carving Rhodey’s name into the rock and he’d had blisters for weeks afterwards from his knife.</p><p>“You’re just as reckless as he was as a pup,” Tony told Harley, smiling down at the young alpha. “He didn’t get any sense until he was a teenager.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Really, really. Always getting busted up when we were kids, I’d have to patch his ass up,” the omega said with a laugh. “He’d return the favor - I always had burns on my hands from the workshop.”</p><p>“Sometimes… Sometimes I think I dream about him,” Harley whispered, looking down at his hands. “See him holding me or something.”</p><p>“You opened your eyes before Peter did. You actually got to see him,” the older stated, pulling the pup into his side. “There’s a slim chance you do remember him.”</p><p>Harley nodded his head and leaned into his mother’s side, breathing in his scent. After awhile the pair got up again and made their way back to Peter.</p><p>“Alright, let’s go. I’m sure your sister is driving them both up a wall.”</p><p>Peter giggled and nodded his head, picking up the basket. They all started making their way back down the mountain and heading towards home.</p><p>-</p><p>Tony could hear the wailing all the way from the other side of camp. It was evening now and the sun was just setting below the horizon. Most of their pack was having dinner around the fire and plenty of them gave him long-suffering looks. He smiled and sent his boys over to have dinner.</p><p>He made his way over to the tent and pushed his way inside. Morgan was sitting up inside of the nest crying her eyes out, big, fat tears streaming down her chubby cheeks. Both of his alphas were running around the tent obviously trying to find anything that would calm the pup down.</p><p>“Poor pup, your daddy and papa are awful at this, aren’t they?” Tony asked, walking over and picking the girl up into his arms. He nuzzled her and purred which brought the crying to a stop. Morgan opened her eyes and babbled at him. She was clearly upset about something and complaining to her mommy.</p><p>“Welcome home, doll,” Steve greeted, sighing in relief when the crying finally stopped.</p><p>“I leave for a day and you two can’t even handle one pup.”</p><p>“To be fair, I think the only thing she wanted was you,” Bucky said with a smile. The omega smiled back and got into the nest.</p><p>“Go eat dinner, I’ll stay with her. I’m sure she’s hungry,” Tony said as he scented over the little girl. She was still babbling lightly and pulling at the omega’s shirt.</p><p>“We’ll bring something back for you,” Steve said, kissing the omega’s forehead before leaving the tent. Bucky kissed his temple before following after the blond. The omega hummed softly and removed his shirt, laying down so his baby could eat.</p><p>Morgan fell asleep after she was done feeding and Tony was content to lay there and bond with his youngest pup. The purring continued up until his alphas came back in with dinner for him. He sat up and gently laid the girl in the mound of blankets.</p><p>“Find what you were looking for?” Steve asked as he sat down beside him, kissing his cheek.</p><p>“Yeah. I wanna tell you both a story.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And that's it! Now we know what life was like for Tony before he joined the pack and mated with Steve and Bucky. I'm sorry for any hurt and feels you suffered while reading this, I was literally watching Pewdiepie play The Last of Us 2 while writing this.</p><p>fucking golf club. y'all know what I mean if you've seen the playthrough.</p><p>Anyway...hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments are always appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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